Tangerine
by byebyebirdie58
Summary: She was unsure of who she loved more, unsure of who she'd rather be with. But mostly she needed to talk to him, to get back her old Steve. Pre-Intervention.


This fic/chapter is being posted as part of "Good Fic Day," an effort to raise the quality of writing here. We hope to encourage more writers to improve the quality of their own fan fiction - spell check, grammar check, keep the gang in character, outline, plot and don't use Mary Sues. Good fan fiction requires effort, and we would like to encourage other writers to rise to the challenge of producing better fan fiction, not only for our readers, but for S.E. Hinton, who created the wonderful book we are trying to honor.

**A/n:**Tangerine parallels Intervention and is set before the story.I do not own _The Outsiders _by S.E. Hinton, nor do I own_Tangerine_, written by Jimmy Page and performed by Led Zeppelin. Enjoy!

* * *

_Thinking how it used to be. _

_Does she still remember times like these? _

_To think of us again,_

_And I do._

She picked up the note sitting on the kitchen counter.

"Evie, your boyfriend called. Wants to meet you at the diner at six for supper. - Suzy."

Evie smiled to herself and walked toward her room. Maybe finally they'd get the chance to talk … well, if he didn't forget their date, of course. She sighed and brushed the thought away; he'd remember. She knew he would … hoped he would.

Sitting on the bed, she reached for a small tin lunchbox and opened it. It was such a childish thing, but it still held something special for her. Opening it, she reached in and pulled out several Polaroid pictures. She'd forgotten about those ones. They seemed so far away, like they'd never even happened. A smiling Steve with his arm around her; next to them was Sodapop Curtis, grinning and laughing, looking very much alive. She'd forgotten those pictures.

She pulled out another and sighed. A picture of Sandy Collins and her at the Dingo. She remembered that night all too well. They'd gone out for a bite to eat, only to have a bitter argument.

Sandy's angry voice rolled in her head. "You just don't get it, Evie. I can't do it. I mean, I need to leave. My parents … can't you try and understand, Evie?"

No, she didn't understand it at all. Why in the hell would she have left a perfect man like Soda; how or why would she have done such a thing when he was perfectly willing to marry her?

They'd written back and forth constantly until the baby came. Then, the letters began to come in longer intervals, until there were no more. And then she'd found out Soda had died. She'd written a short letter, sent it, and hoped to never get a letter back … but she did. The letter she got back was equally as short, but this time, tear stains were evident in the letter. Had Sandy really been crying about Soda? The boy she'd refused to marry, possibly cheated on, and she was crying for him. Maybe she'd never meant for any of it to happen. Maybe that other boy had just showed up … much like someone else she knew.

She came crashing back to earth as she glanced at the clock. Shit, it was already five. Evie put the tin back under her bed and made her way to the bathroom to get ready. Maybe she'd talk to Steve about it tonight.

XxXxX

She sat alone at the diner counter and sighed. Maybe she'd put too much faith in Steve again. He really wasn't going to show … again. Evie sighed and glanced at the clock before sliding out of the counter. She'd been waiting twenty minutes and hadn't brought any money. Oh, yeah, this was getting real old, real fast.

As she was walking out, she heard someone call her.

"Evie!"

She turned to see Tommy standing in the doors, smiling. An older man and woman stood behind him as he walked towards her and gave her a quick hug.

"These are my parents. Mom, Dad, this is my friend, Evie Kerrigan."

She smiled. "Nice to meet you."

Mrs. Rainsford smiled and shook Evie's hand. "So, this is the Evie Kerrigan we've heard so much about. It's nice too meet you, darling."

"I didn't know I was very talked about, but it's nice to know."

"Yes, our Tommy talks quite fondly of you."

"Are you still taking classes at the junior college?" Mr. Rainsford asked.

"Yes, sir, sometimes. I'm hoping to graduate soon."

"Good to know that your generation has a few hard workers in it. These damn hippie kids taking over this whole town."

Evie laughed, and she saw Tommy roll his eyes. "Billy Adderson's brother is a hippie, Dad, and he's a good kid."

"He's on drugs." Mr. Rainsford said, bluntly.

Tommy rolled his eyes again and turned to Evie. "So, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I was just waiting for someone, but it looks like they're not showing, so I'll head out. What're you out here for?"

"It's my twenty-fifth birthday. I'm out with the folks."

_Is he really that much older? _Evie thought. She nodded and smiled a little. "Have a nice birthday, Tommy. I think I'd best get going, but I hope it's a nice one. And it was wonderful meeting you, Mr. and Mrs. Rainsford."

"You, too, sweetheart." Mrs. Rainsford smiled.

Tommy nodded and gave her an pitying glance. Was it that obvious Steve had bailed on her? Before turning away, he mouthed to her, "I'll call later."

Evie smiled sadly and nodded. Tommy was always there at the right times -- and all the wrong ones, too.

XxXxX

There was a small knock on the door and Evie went to open it, hoping it was just Sue home from work. She worked some strange hours at Buck's, so Suzy coming in at midnight from work wouldn't have been much of a surprise.

She opened the door, and to her surprise, Tommy stood in the doorway, a bouquet of flowers in one hand and the other on the side of the doorframe. Evie couldn't help but think he looked a bit like Marlon Brando, with his dark hair combed neatly, and yet there was something rugged about him, too. If Sodapop Curtis had been the best looking boy in Tulsa, Tommy Rainsford came in at a close second.

"Aren't I supposed to give you something on your birthday?" Evie asked, playfully.

Tommy grinned and stepped in, handing her the flowers. Daisies-- her favorites. "I'm sure I wouldn't object if you did."

Evie smiled, and then frowned as a pang of guilt shot through her, thinking about Steve. She brushed the thought away and convinced herself that he was only there to help her. Tommy meant no harm.

He sat down on the couch and pulled Evie close to him, frowning. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Tom. I'm just thinking a little bit."

"How about a penny for your thoughts?" he said, pulling her closer.

_A penny for my thoughts_. She'd never be able to tell him what she was thinking. She was wondering where Steve was, and how she'd be able to help him. It was no old news that Steve Randle was a junkie. Oh, God, she needed to talk to him; she needed to help him before it was too late.

She thought of Steve coming over at two in the morning, looking afraid and paranoid. Steve waking up at four in the morning, screaming and sweating. She remember him shaking as she desperately tried to figure out what was wrong. Her boyfriend -- her best friend had been reduced to nothing but a frightened shell of his former self. She wanted him back, not the new Steve that forgot about their dates, did drugs, and treated her like she wasn't there.

She sighed and leaned into Tommy, thinking about Steve, who would be turning twenty-one in under a year. Maybe they were just growing up … and growing apart. Evie sighed, confused and let Tommy hold her tightly.

Steve wasn't there, and Tommy was. Tommy was always there at the right times. He was always there at all the wrong ones, too, and she wasn't sure what kind of time this one was.


End file.
